Rivers Infrastructure: Assembly Passes FIrst Appropriation Law

Rivers Infrastructure: Assembly Passes FIrst Appropriation Law

● Becomes first State legislature under this dispensation to do so;
●  Lawmakers arm selves with first-hand knowledge on how to deal with 2024 Appropriation;
● Sim Fubara to sign Supplementary bill into law;
● Consolidates on the New Rivers Vision

By Elem Kash

 

The Rivers State House of Assembly has become the first state legislature under this dispensation to pass  an Appropriation law.

Although it is supplementary, the passage of the new law which has given State lawmakers a little more exposure on how to deal with the 2024 budget at the end of the year, seeks to enhance the pace of Rivers infrastructural development.

Lawmakers Wednesday passed the bill authorising the State Government to spend an additional two hundred billion naira  this fiscal year after it has gone through third reading and a public hearing.

The implication is that the State Government would  be spending approximately N700,000,000,000 in 2023.

The initial budget estimate approved for the government by the Rivers Assembly was  <span;>N550,666, 987, 238.

Precisely, the latest approval of N200,000,000,000 would be spent on the construction of the Port Harcourt Ring Road, a star project of the Siminalayi Fubara administration.

Fubara who may be looking ahead at the prospects that the ring road project offers to the  development of the Greater Port Harcourt Masterplan is also aiming at the further consolidation of ongoing efforts to boost the stock of infrastructure that is already being provided.

Recall that former Governor Nyesom Wike had in the last eight years put the Rivers State on the fast lane of development, providing multiple access roads and flyovers as well as other facilities in the health and educational sectors.

On a comparative basis, Rivers State in the last four years has emerged as a result of Wike’s  New Rivers Vision as one of the foremost states that are known nationwide in terms of the cultivation of a vastly improved infrastructural base.

Sim as many Rivers people fondly call their governor is expected to sign the bill into law any moment from now, thus paving the way for the commencement of the star project.

Speaking after the passage of the bill, Speaker Martins Amaewhule explained why State lawmakers treated the bill  èxpeditiously.

Amaewhule disclosed that the effort put in by lawmakers was intended to provide proper and adequate funding for the ring road and guarantee its early take off and its speedy completion.

The Speaker noted that the approval given by the House would stoutly eliminate the abandonment of  projects; a prospect which he said, is in sync with the spirit of continuity and consolidation adopted by the current administration.

Prior to the passage of the bill which secured majority support on the floor of the House, the Ad Hoc Committee on Appropriation laid its recommendations on the table.

We have learnt that the Committee on Supply also debated on the bill which now awaits the signature of the State Governor.

About one month after it took the oath of office, when many wonder if he will ever surpass Wike in terms of performance, Fubara eventually gets the nod to rump into action with his own agenda for the Rivers people which includes the establishment of gas and industrial hubs.

There are people who do not not however agree with Fubara’s renewed emphasis on the delivery of infrastructure

They say government could have turned to agriculture,  at least to create food security and stem hunger.

But experts contacted by the Telegraph say opening up the Rivers State for business through the provision of much needed infrastructure could be the best step forward in attracting investment, creating jobs and growing wealth.